Is AAP government's Law Ministry 'jinxed'?

New Delhi: The arrest of AAP leader Jitender Singh Tomar on charges of cheating and fraud in obtaining his law degree was not the first instance when Arvind Kejriwal dispensation has faced embarrassment due to its Law Minister. Last year, during 49-day regime of Arvind Kejriwal, allegations were levelled against the then Law Minister Somnath Bharti of trying to influence witness of a case which he had handled previously.

The fate of both the ministers in the span of two years has forced people to think whether the Law Ministry of AAP government is really jinxed.

Delhi Police claimed that a nearly month-long investigation found that Tomar not only submitted fake graduation degree and law marksheets to get registered with the Bar Council of Delhi but forged a migration certificate also.

While Tomar landed in a soup in four months of the AAP government, Bharti had courted one controversy after another within 20 days in previous regime.

On the intervening night of January 15 and 16, 2014, Bharti was tipped off about drug rackets being operated in Malviya Nagar area. Bharti acted on an impulse, mobilized supporters and even called in TV camera crews to accompany him in the raid.

Women's organizations and political rivals have also accused Bharti of mouthing racist remarks while dealing with the African women. In a couple of days after taking oath as minister, Bharti had asked Principal Secretary Law to arrange for a meeting with all District Judges. The secretary refused, citing protocol issues; but Bharti allegedly took it personally and tried to ride roughshod over him.

However, instead of asking his ministers to step down, Chief Minister Kejriwal stood by them. Though Tomar had resigned from his post soon after the arrest but the party and Kejriwal himself took no time to defend the former law minister.

The Delhi Chief Minister defended Tomar by claiming that he was personally satisfied with the former law minister’s reply to allegations of fake degrees.